Amber, Archie and Jared are legends

Finn was 15 when he was diagnosed with a rare cancer affecting just 50 children in the UK each year. Finn and family remained positive and determined throughout his treatment on the Teenage Cancer Trust unit in the University Hospital Wales. To celebrate the end of Finn's difficult journey, older siblings Amber and Archie and dad Jared are running the Virgin Money London Marathon together to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust, the charity that supported them throughout.

AMBER

In 2016, Finn was diagnosed with something known as Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), which is an incredibly rare form of cancer. His tumour was located just behind his eye, so it was in a very delicate and sensitive area.

Amber, Finn, and Archie

The day we found out the news was awful. It was a normal summer's day at the beginning of the school holidays and all of a sudden we were given this devastating news.

From then, nothing mattered except him getting better.

After his biopsy and diagnosis, he was treated with intensive chemotherapy and steroids over six weeks on the Teenage Cancer Trust unit in the University Hospital Wales. Following that, he went back in every three weeks for another year.

Archie, Finn, and Amber

It was an incredibly difficult time for us as a family but without Finn's brave and positive outlook on the situation, it would have been a whole lot more difficult.

I sometimes accompanied Finn to his chemotherapy sessions, where I could appreciate how much Teenage Cancer Trust support their patients and families. The facilities were absolutely incredible, it had everything a teenager would need to feel comfortable in a time where they needed it most.

Finn, Archie, and Amber at a Teenage Cancer Trust fundraiser

One Christmas, Teenage Cancer Trust organised and funded a meal for twenty of us in The Park Plaza in Cardiff. It was the perfect way for Finn and me to bond with other patients. Finn was one of the youngest patients on the unit, so seeing slightly older patients going through the same thing helped him to relax. They completely understood what he and the rest of the family were going through.

It was so lovely to be surrounded by people that just got it.

This year, my brother, my dad and I are running the Virgin Money London Marathon to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust. I can't wait to run with a huge group of people who have trained so hard for the day, and I'm excited to soak up the atmosphere and run alongside my family.

As a family, we wanted to raise as much money as possible to help fund such amazing facilities, events, and exceptional staff. Despite being slightly apprehensive about the challenge itself, I wouldn't change a thing, knowing how much Teenage Cancer Trust are continuing to make a difference to so many young people with cancer every day.

Finn, Amber, Archie, and dad Jared after the Cardiff Half Marathon

FINN

When I was first diagnosed with LCH, it was a massive shock to me and my family. It was the last thing we expected.

In the early stages of my diagnosis I worried about where I would fit in, especially in terms of where I would receive my treatment. However, after hearing about Teenage Cancer Trust and the facilities they provide across the board, I decided it was the kind of environment that I wanted to be in for the next year of receiving my treatment.

Finn

As my treatment progressed, I began to feel as if the whole process became much easier to deal with. I convinced myself that each lot of treatment was a huge milestone and that I was getting closer and closer to the end of all of it.

A large part of this was down to the help of Teenage Cancer Trust and the amazing nurses I would get to spend time with. The whole environment made everything so much easier and helped me get where I am today.